Ojutai's Breath MTG Card
2015-03-27 - Number 67
2017-11-17 - Number 68
2019-11-07 - Number 448
2020-09-26 - Number DTK-67
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Rebound |
Text of card
Tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step. Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Cards like Ojutai's Breath
Ojutai’s Breath is a unique card in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, closely resembling other cards that focus on temporary creature disablement. It stands out with its ability to tap a target creature and prevent it from untapping during the next untap step. This is somewhat akin to the function of Frost Breath, which can target two creatures but lacks the added rebound mechanic inherent in Ojutai’s Breath.
Closely related is the spell Ice Over, which shares the theme of controlling combat by locking down a creature or vehicle, ensuring it can’t untwist the tides of battle in the opponent’s favor. While Ice Over persists until the affected permanent leaves the battlefield, it doesn’t benefit from the rebound platform that Ojutai’s Breath offers, which extends its influence across two of your opponent’s untap phases.
In evaluating the utility of Ojutai’s Breath against its counterparts, it’s clear that the card brings a compelling dynamic to the field. Its potential to immobilize a key opponent’s asset not once, but twice, reaffirms its position as a tactical spell in several MTG gameplay scenarios, especially in decks that capitalize on tempo-based strategies.
Cards similar to Ojutai's Breath by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ojutai’s Breath doesn’t directly draw you cards but it does enable strategic plays by tapping an opponent’s creature. This can help maintain board advantage, especially when timing is crucial to control the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: While this spell does not produce mana or treasure tokens, it can indirectly accelerate your resources. By reducing the pressure from opposing creatures, you get more time to develop your own strategy and draw into more lands or ramp spells.
Instant Speed: Ojutai’s Breath can be cast at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to respond to an opponent’s actions during their turn. This can be critical in preserving your life total or in making tactical decisions that can influence the outcome of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Ojutai’s Breath doesn’t directly force a discard, it can indirectly lead to card disadvantage. The nature of this spell may prompt a player to hang onto it for the perfect moment, possibly missing out on more immediate and impactful plays.
Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise combination of mana, with one blue and two generic. This requirement can be restrictive, particularly in multicolored decks that need careful mana balancing to operate efficiently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at three mana for a temporary freeze effect and rebound, Ojutai’s Breath might come off as an over-investment, especially when other cards could provide a more permanent solution or additional value for the same, or even lower, mana cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Ojutai’s Breath offers flexibility across various styles of play, fitting seamlessly into Blue-based control or tempo decks. Its ability to tap a target creature can be a game-changer, preventing opponents’ threats while giving you the upper hand.
Combo Potential: Utilizing its rebound effect, Ojutai’s Breath can be a tactical asset in combinations, allowing players to plan ahead and maximize two turns of potential creature control without expending additional cards from their hand.
Meta-Relevance: Facing off against aggressive creature-focused decks, Ojutai’s Breath can be a smart addition to your collection to maintain board control and delay your opponents long enough to establish your winning strategy.
How to Beat
Ojutai’s Breath is an intriguing utility spell in Magic: The Gathering, one that taps target creature and keeps it from untapping during the following untap step. Recognizing how this can disrupt your strategy is key to overcoming its effects. Unlike other control spells which may remove creatures permanently or change ownership, Ojutai’s Breath is a temporary obstacle, offering a brief respite for your opponent.
To counteract the disruptive power of Ojutai’s Breath, swift removal or bounce spells right after its casting can be effective. Cards like Naturalize, which can target enchantments and artifacts, won’t help here since Ojutai’s Breath is an instant and has no lingering presence on the battlefield. Instead, instant-speed spells that can untap a creature or grant it hexproof in response, such as Blossoming Defense, can nullify the Breath’s freezing grip. Cards granting your creature indestructibility until the end of the turn, like Boros Charm, can also ensure your creature’s offensive or defensive presence despite being tapped.
Ultimately, while Ojutai’s Breath can pause your momentum, it does not stop you. Understanding what you are up against and having the right responses on hand proves invaluable. Thus, while it can be a hurdle, with preparedness and adaptability, Ojutai’s Breath becomes but a fleeting chill before the inevitable thaw of combat resumes.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ojutai's Breath MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir and Iconic Masters, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Ojutai's Breath and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Ojutai's Breath Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2015-03-27 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Kev Walker.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015-03-27 | Dragons of Tarkir | DTK | 67 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 2 | 2017-11-17 | Iconic Masters | IMA | 68 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 3 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 448 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | DTK-67 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ojutai's Breath has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ojutai's Breath card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-02-25 | As long as you cast a spell with rebound from your hand, rebound will work regardless of whether you paid its mana cost or an alternative cost you were permitted to pay. |
| 2015-02-25 | At the beginning of your upkeep, all delayed triggered abilities created by rebound effects trigger. You may handle them in any order. If you want to cast a card this way, you do so as part of the resolution of its delayed triggered ability. Timing restrictions based on the card’s type (if it’s a sorcery) are ignored. Other restrictions, such as “Cast -his spell] only during combat,” must be followed. |
| 2015-02-25 | Casting the card again due to the delayed triggered ability is optional. If you choose not to cast the card, or if you can’t (perhaps because there are no legal targets available), the card will stay exiled. You won’t get another chance to cast it on a future turn. |
| 2015-02-25 | If a replacement effect (such as the one created by Rest in Peace) would cause a spell with rebound that you cast from your hand to be put somewhere other than into your graveyard as it resolves, you can choose whether to apply the rebound effect or the other effect as the spell resolves. |
| 2015-02-25 | If a spell with rebound that you cast from your hand doesn’t resolve for any reason (either because another spell or ability counters it or because all its targets are illegal as it tries to resolve), none of its effects will happen, including rebound. The spell will be put into its owner’s graveyard and you won’t get to cast it again on your next turn. |
| 2015-02-25 | If you cast a card from exile this way, it will go to its owner’s graveyard when it resolves, fails to resolve, or is countered. It won’t go back to exile. |
| 2015-02-25 | If you cast a spell with rebound from any zone other than your hand (including your opponent’s hand), rebound will have no effect. |
| 2015-02-25 | Rebound will have no effect on copies of spells because you don’t cast them from your hand. |
| 2017-11-17 | Ojutai’s Breath can target a creature that’s already tapped. It still won’t untap during its controller’s next untap step. |